Gunner&#39;s warning panel and lamp system



1944- c. L. PAULUS ETAL 2,361,412 I GUNNERS WARNING PANEL AND LAMPSYSTEM Filed March 20, 19 13 2 Sheets-sheaf 1 Oct. 31, 1944. L, PA HAL2,361,412

GUNNERS WARNING PANEL AND LAMP SYSTEM Filed March 20, 1943 2Sheets-Sheet 2 each covering Patented Oct. 31, 1944 GUNNERS WARNINGPANEL AND SYSTEM LAMP Charles L; Paulus and Raymond K. Stout,

Dayton, Ohio Application March 20, 1943,;Serial No. 479,870

6 Claims; (01. 177 337) i (Granted under the act of March" 3, 1883, as

. amended April 30, 1928'; 370 G. 757) The invention described hereinmay be manu-f factured and used by. or'for the Government forgovernmental purposes, without the payment to usof any royalty thereon.1' y This invention relates to improvements .in signalling devices andmoretparticularly to warning systems for gunners in aircraft and thelike in which a plurality of gunners stations are located, predeterminedareas around the craft. v

An object of the invention'is the provision of signal means which isoperative'from any of the gunners stations to warn all of the stationsof the presence or movement ofan enemy craft or target in any one ormore of the areas covered by the stations. c '4 Another object is theprovision of visual signal means arranged in or adjacent a plurality ofas-v sociated gunners stations, and signal operating means therefor ineach station for actuating the signal means in all of the stations toinform the gunners therein of the presence of an enemy target in anyparticular area covered by any one or more of the stations. i

A further object is to provide a visual signalling system depicting theareas covered by the gunners stations and'a visual signal associatedwith each of the areas depicted, operable from any of the gunnersstations. g

A still further object is the provision of signal meansand'interconnected signal operating means in each of the'gunnersstation'arranged in similar relation to the actual location of thegunners stations and actual areas covered thereby,

'Another object is'the provision of signalling means located in all ofthe gunners stations having depicted thereon the representation of theareas'covered by the stations, and including interconnected visiblesignal and signal operating means arranged in each of the depicted areasfor actuating the visible'signal means in the same depicted areas onthesignalling means in all of the stations.

Another object is the provision of multiple signal means located in eachof'the depicted areas on the signalling means, and interconnectedsimilarly located multiple signal operating means for energizing any oneof the multiple signal means in any of the depicted areas to warn thegunners station covering said area not only that an enemy target is'inthe area, but that an enemy craft is above, on, or below the horizonlevel in said area. 1

A further object is the provision of test means, one'ach of 1 the panelmembers arranged to cause simultaneous actuation of all'of the signalmeans;

on each of said panel members. o

Other objects and advantages of the parts. I

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation of the rear portion ofan airplane embodying my invention, and illustrating the representationof an enemy aircraft passing around the rear end thereof from the areacovered by the starboard gunner into the area covered by the portgunner. Fig.2 is a plan view of one of the signal panels illustratingthe arrangement of, the signal lamps and associated signal actuatingbuttons.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the combined signal lamp andsignal operating'units.v 1

Fig. 4 is a plan View of a modified form of signal lamp and signaloperating unit.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view disclosing a wiring diagram for afour-station gunner warning system arrangement, in which only; three ofthe gunners stations are shown. p

In' modern war planes, particula rly the larger bomber and patrolunitsthegunners stations are located at various places around the craftto cover various angles of approach. The locations of these stationsare: in the nose, tail, and on the sides, top' andbottom of an aircraft:

Some of these areas overlap, so that it is possible to concentrate'thegunfire on a target from sev-' eral different gunners stations.

When an enemy plane is on one side of the craft, in the area covered bycertain of the gun-'- ners stations, and passes to the other side,'into'the range orarea covered by other gunners stations, and if the gunnersin the last mentioned stations immediately observe the enemy in theirarea, they can quickly concentrate their gunfire on the target. Thesetargets, however, are hard to immediately pick up, especially at night,and considerable valuable time is often lost before' the target can belocated and gunfireconcentrated thereon. Interconnectedtelephones are ank 1 invention wil appear in the following specification,,.refe r encebeing had to the accompanyingdrawings; in which like referencecharacters refento: like in the area covered by the port gunner 2 andThe dot-and-dash line Bin the tail gunner I. dicates the probabledirection of the enemy plane I, and

through the area just referred to, to a point 6;;

covered by both the port gunner 2 and'the tail I By the utilization ofmyimprovedvisual signalling system, the port gunner is notified in advancethat the enemy is moving into his sector, and he is in a position toconcentrate. his gunfire onthe enemy as it rn'c'pves'intorange.

gunner I.

In each of the gunners stations in the craft,

such as the'nose, sides; top and bottom stations (not shown) and the twostations illustrated in Fig-.l, is-located at-least one of my improvedinterconnected visual signal devices, indicated'gen erally at "l.

Each signal device includesa-panel member. la

as illustrated in Fig. 2, having depicted thereon lamps are placed inthe areafi; outside the out line of the aircraft 8 and insubstantiallythesame relation that the areas orsegmer'itscovered by thevarious gunners stations occupy with relation" to theplane;

For example; the center of v the area covered by the rear or tailgunnersstation I is directly behind the aircraft and is depictedon all of thepanel membersby the signal Iamps'IB located in therear of the depictedaircrafts; Theport and starboard gunnersstations, respectively,

coverareas: tothe left andright'of the plane,

and these areas are depictedon all of the'panelmembers by thesignallamps ll and I 1', arranged in the same relation-with respect tothe aircraft outlines, in approximately the center'of the segmentsillustrated-0n thepanels.

Signal lamps l2"and,l 6 are positioned'onthe panel members to indicatethe approximate ad jacent ends of the segments covered by the sidegunners stations.

picted craft and to the right and left front of the wings to indicatethe segments covered by the gunners. in front or nose of the plane andat the right and left. in front of the wings.

Signal lampoperating means l0, H, ll, I3,',,

I4, I6 and H. are arranged on each panel member la, close to the signallamps In, to I], andin the same locations, as the lamps.v

These operatingmeansconsist ofpush button.

contacts whichare mounted in the-form of units, as seen in Fig. 3, eachunit consistingv of an elongated base member 18. aperturedat its ends toreceive one of thelamp sockets l9 atone end and one-of the push buttonsockets m -at the other end. The lamps and push buttons-"may be ofconventional construation, including-terminals zl, 22- and 23, 2t,respectively, adapted to be connected toconductors, as seen in thewiring diagram disclosedin part in Fig. 5.

As before indicated, at least one of the signalling devices 1 is placedin each of the gunners stations on the aircraft, with lamps in the samelocation 01]..3112015. the panels? Thedamps for each location.'areoonnectedin, parallels in a circult arranged to be, energized by anyof the push button switches disposed next to the respective lamps.

- Referring again to Fig. 2, if a gunner in any of the gunners stationsdepresses the push button lli' on apanelul'member la in his station, thesignal lamp Ill on his panel will be lighted, as well asthesignal lampsH) on all of the other panels. And likewise, the switches or pushbuttons. II! or l2 on any of the panels will light Lamps or otherilluminating means l3, l5, and M are placed on the panels in front ofthe ,de-

thelamps II. or [2" respectively on all of the panels; 1

In order to assure the gunners in the stations that the circuits: andlamps'ron their panelszare in; proper working order; a-stes-tr switch.irrrths... formora push button. 25: is: provided: on; each? panelmember I a, and thedepression of'zth isxlduta ton energizes a circuitincluding alliofithe'. lamps lflrto'l 1 onallthepanelse I In connectingthe; signalrdevicesin the various?- gunners. stations, any suitablelwiringmircuihmak be employed. An example :is; disclosediin :Eiai. is.in which only three gunners stations are illus-s. trated, indicatedgenerallyv as '26, 211" and: The use iofaqgreater number of stations;asadisclosefiz on the-panel member 1min Figa2,'.is1 largclwit matter ofchoice. and :it'is; therefore thoughtrun necessary toincludemore. thanthree; statiQns-in; the wiring diagram. It should alsozbenoted; that;the diagram disclosesronly four signal,- lamps; I10, I 2, sand :16; andassociated? circuit closing-ado: vices or'push buttons 102,12;lr4--gaind-i I6 but:

: the. addition; of" a" largervnumber, such;v as 8; as:

disclosed on the panel-.member inz-Fig: 2; isalsqc a matter: of: choice,depending-upon the; number: of gunners? stationson the craitzr lathe-wirn diagram, a test switch is provided as;indicate.dn atZSi" and I6, as;disclosed in' the; wiring diagram;

grounded; as: indicated .at 3flrto ther metal: frames work or othersuitable part ofrtheecrazftcthltaughathe terminahflg while theotherlamp; terminals are connected by. conductors, 39; 4E, 41- and: 4'27;respectively, tothe main? circuitawires 43,44 .45; and 45; leadingaroundwthes aircraft to; the yarn ous gunne'rsstations mreturn' circuitconnector:- 471 provided, connected itotone terminalof orth'ez switchmemberscl'fli'; 12".: H; I: and-s: and to one sideofrthevbattery-ABLbythe. wira; 49: The other side; ofr'thea batteryisrconnected? to. ground; as indicatedfat' 5.0a Eaohi conduatme; 39; 40;4| and; 42 (has .connectedi thereto; a; circuit: wire 5|; 52; (and-15A:leading to atest-switchiix; When: this: switch: is closed; currentwillzfiow: from? the battery 48 through the conductors; lflitoitonn';

} side through the switch" 25;; to the;- conductor 51. to 5.4;:and.conductorsv39iitoga? causing: all: lights onithe panels tobeaii-lluminated,

Should any; one ot-thaswitchesto; the indie viduallightsslfl; l2; l4-andalfig be depressedcfom instance,- the switch HY- in the wiringdiagram; in Fig.5 5; corresponding tothe'switch l. 'zbmtheg panel'board:1a,- shown: in Fig '2rcurrent will :flzow; fromv the: batteryvlfithrough the conductors; 49a and 38, through the depressed switch"153.110 the:- lamp l0, and through. grourid-Jflzback: tor the other.sidelof the battery; closing ofitheaswitctc l" also -establishes acircuit through the conduc tor'4ll to the conductor 44 leading to theother warning panels located at the other stations around the ship, suchas 2! and 28 inFig'L5." Current flows along the wire 44 and theotherconductor wires 40 at the other stations to one terminal of theother lamps at the last-mentioned stations. Since the second orotherterminals of theselampsa're all grounded at 30, current flowsthroughall ofthe lamps II] to the ground and back to the groundedterminal 50 of the batterly 48, completing the circuit. Closing ofanother switch, such as H or IS in the station 25 or 21, lights therespective lamps l4 or IS in that station and, through the conductor 4|or 42, connects the battery 48 with the conductors 45 or 46 connected toone terminal of the lamps l4 and IS in the other stations and, since theother terminals of these lamps are grounded to the battery, they areselectively lighted when the respective switches M or l6 are closed.

In the operation of the device, assuming an enemy aircraft 3 to besighted on the right side of the plane A, and it appears that thistarget is to pass around the stern, one or more of the gunners in theirstations, observing the enemy craft, will depress the push buttonswitches I0, I l or l2, depending to some extent on the location andprobable direction of the enemy craft. This action by the gunners willcause the signal lamps I0, II and I2 on all of the panels la to belighted, indicating to all of the gunners in all of the stations thatthe enemy is moving into the areas depicted on the panels where thesignal lamps are illuminated. These gunners for these depicted areas,being so warned, are in a position to more readily locate the enemycraft and concentrate their fire upon it as it comes into the range oftheir guns. v

In order to inform the gunners, not only as to the particular segment inwhich an enemy target may be, but also to indicate that the target isabove, on or below the level of the horizon in a particular area, weprovide a multiple push button signal unit, as illustrated in Fig. 4,each unit comprising a base, indicated at 55, carrying signal lamps 56,51 and 58 and similarly located push buttons or switches 55', 51' and58'. These multiple units may be located on the panel members la in thesame positions as the lamp and switch units in Fig. 3. When the gunnerdepresses the upper button 56 of one of 'these multiple units in acertain area, the lamp 56 is illuminated in a corresponding location onall of the panels, indicating. that an enemy aircraft is not only inthat particular sector, but is above the horizon therein. The depressionof the button 51' lights the lamp 5! and indicates that the craft isabout on the horizon, while the depression of the button 58' lights thelamps 58 and indicates the target to be below the horizon.

This system is primarily designed for aircraft, but it is obvious thatthe same may readily be used for various protective systems, such as onships, tanks, and even on stationary gun emplacements.

Having thus described our invention, in connection with an illustrativeembodiment, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentis:

1. In a protective signalling system for an aircraft having a pluralityof associated control stations to protect predetermined associated areasthereof, signalling means therefor comprising a plurality of visualindicators, at least one of tion of all of-said' associated areas,interconnect ed signallin means. at each of said control stations,associated with each of the said depicted areas aforesaid on said visualindicators, and independently operable signal actuating means sim ilarlylocated in each station, in each depicted" area and connected with allof the signal means for the same predetermined areas, in all of theareas of the craft, a signalling panel device in each gunners stationhaving depicted thereon the aforesaid associated predetermined areas,

signal means in each of the depicted areasafore said on all of the saidpanel devices, and independently operable signal operating means in thedepicted areas aforesaid for actuating similarly located signal means inany predetermined depicted area on all of said panel devices.

3, In an aircraft gunners warning system of the class described having aplurality of gunners stations disposed around a craft in associatedlocations and protecting associated areas surrounding the craft, awarning panel member in each gunners station having depicted thereon thereplica of said craft and said associated protected areas, a signaldevice on each panel member located adjacent each depicted areaaforesaid comprising a lamp and operating means therefor in eachdepicted area, and a connection from said operating means in eachdepicted area on any panel member to the lamps in the same depicted areaon all of said panel members for simulta-# neously operating all thelamps in a selected area on all of the panel members from any of thepanel members.

4. In an aircraft gunners warning system, a plurality of panel membersadapted to be disposed in the gunners stations on an aircraft, eachhaving a replica of an airplane on its face and a number of electricallyinterconnected Warning-. lamp-push-button combinations similarlydisposed around the airplane replicas on all of the panel members forselectively lighting said similarly-located lamps on all of said panelmembers.

5. In 'a signalling system for a plurality of separate associatedprotective control stations located in different associated areas arounda common point to protectthe same, signal means therefor comprising aplurality of visual indicators, at least one of which is located in eachstation and has depicted thereon the approximate relative location ofall of the aforesaid associated areas, visible signal means at eachcontrol station physically associated with each depicted location onsaid visual indicator, signal actuating means in each control stationoperatively and physically closely associated with each of the visiblesignal means on the visual indicator in that station, and operativelyconnected to the signal means located in the other stations, depictingthe same associated areas for causing simultaneous actuation of all ofthe said visible signal means aforesaid, in any similarly locateddepicted location, on all of the visual indicators.

6. In an aircraft gunners warning device, a plurality of panel memberseach having a replica of the aircraft depicted upon the face of thepanel which is located-in each ofv thea'fores'aid controls. stations,eachiof :said visual indicators. having'f. depicte'dthereon theapproximate relative loca-'-:

4? v msmem member: and; a:plumiity-iofisignaiilampsrdnd lamp: lightingpushibuttbxrunits disposedzdmthenahek aroundathezdepictediaircrafkinthe'relativesdey pictedareas covered: by: the @1188? the 2'adrm'arfbiveach; unit: comprising :a raw-01: lamps-and iazijwctaposed: paralleb.correspondingi -row:Ofizpush but? tons for: selectively?lightingxjrelativelyg oppositely; disposedrlamps inz-the mwisaid:panelimemberak being;:disp0sed atthe gnnnersz-t statiunszcfqrv-thfirsaid: guns: of. the aircraftwith the? relative? g;

simifarly: locatd pushibutmn-anddampunits, on? each: panelc'electricallyconnected. in parallel-1- Wher'ebya anyf'push'button: energizes: and.lights: similarly :located 7 lamps .on all: of said panels.- in

dicatmg the: depictedareacovered by the pmtectingthat: area: and+ the.-portinnsof; than?v area loc'atedz on the horizon level; and above: and:

below saidlevel; v

CHARLES. L. PAULUS; RAYMOND K. STOUT

